Everett Wilkie

1947 - 2020

Everett Cleveland Wilkie, of Tow, TX, beloved father, grandfather, and brother, died December 23, 2020, from complications related to COVID.
Born June 27, 1947 in Kinston, NC to Rev. Everett "Cleve" and Nancy Wilkie, he was the oldest of their three children. After high school, he followed in his father's footsteps to Wake Forest University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Master of Arts in English and then went on to the University of South Carolina where he received a PhD in Comparative Literature and a master's degree in Librarianship. His foreign language competencies included French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and German. An independent scholar and consultant in rare books and manuscripts since 1997, he previously served as the Head Librarian of the Connecticut Historical Society, Bibliographer at the John Carter Brown Library, and Reference Librarian at the Lilly Library. Between 1989 and 2008 he received fellowships for research at the Library Company of Philadelphia, the Lilly Library, and the Huntington Library. His bibliographic knowledge, his interest in a wide range of rare materials, and his support for librarians and the collections under their care will be missed.
While his academic and professional achievements were numerous, he would have listed his greatest achievement as his children, Lauren and E.C. He was a man who loved fully and they were lucky to know that love in their lives.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Cleve and Nancy Wilkie; and Lauren's mother, Barbara Jo Wilkie. He is survived by his daughter, Lauren Knott (Matt); granddaughters, Brielle Olivia and Eliza Everett Knott; his son, E.C. Boutwell (Lori) and children, Tessa and Griffin Boutwell; his sisters, Lou Ellen Wilkie and Mary Elizabeth Wilkie; and his close friend of many years, Dorothy Sloan. Everett also had many dearly loved nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Due to COVID restrictions, Everett's funeral service will be held in the summer in Thomasville, NC. Donations may be made in his name to Baptist Children's Home of NC at P.O. Box 338, Thomasville, NC 27361 or https://www.bchfamily.org/ or to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at https://www.wildflower.org.